UstaadKhan Blogs

A Christian couple who run a hotel in northern England were cleared on Wednesday of abusing a Muslim guest for wearing a hijab and then insulting her beliefs.

Benjamin and Sharon Vogelenzang were accused of launching a tirade against white British Muslim convert Ericka Tazi, 60, at their hotel in Liverpool where she had been staying while she attended a course at a local hospital in March.

Tazi, who converted to Islam 18 months ago, said they had laughed at her when she wore a hijab on the last day of her stay and Dutch-born Benjamin Vogenlenzang, 53, had called the prophet Mohammed a murderer and likened him to Saddam Hussein and Hitler.

Sharon Vogelenzang, 54, admitted suggesting that the hijab was a form of bondage but said her views were based on media references to Muslim women.

The couple also told the court that Tazi had insulted their religion by calling Jesus Christ a minor prophet and said the bible was untrue.

After a two-day trial judge Richard Clancy at Liverpool Magistrates Court dismissed charges the hoteliers had used threatening, abusive or insulting words which were religiously aggravated, the Press Association reported.

Mrs Tazi

He said Tazi’s claim she had been abused for up to an hour had not been borne out by other prosecution witnesses.

Prosecutors defended bringing the case, saying they believed there had been sufficient evidence for a realistic chance of a conviction.

“We would like to thank all those who have supported us over the last nine months — our family, our friends, our church, and Christians from all around the world and non-Christians,” Sharon Vogelenzang told reporters outside court after the verdict.”As Christmas approaches we wish everybody peace and goodwill.”

University of Calgary student Sheraz Ali Khan

It’s a place that brings children together — to laugh, learn and grow — and reminds these youngsters what it is to be a child.

Instead of working, over 25 Pakistani youth aged three to 13-years-old, are spending their youth alongside other children, learning English, math and Urdu in a small, one-room classroom.

Twenty-three-year-old University of Calgary international relations student, Sheraz Ali Khan, and 12 friends from the Pakistani Youth Organization started the initiative more than three years ago in their hometown of Karachi.

“It’s a large city, but there are so many areas where youngsters are deprived of quality education,” Khan explains. “…We went to the houses of every parent. It was one of the most difficult tasks, because each parent wanted their children to go and earn for them.”

Named after an ambitious young friend who died in a motorcycle accident at only 23-years-old, The Tauseef Memorial School is run out of Khan’s father’s home in Pakistan. Someday, the group hopes to move the school into a separate building.

So far Khan, who moved to Canada from Pakistan in 2007, has raised about $500. (more…)

In this Month of mercy and barakah, it is not abnormal for people’s hearts to be open to good. Among the khair to which their hearts are open are good words; good words of advice to a dear brother or sister. Many a time we would love to advise someone, but something holds us back. Most probably, it is fear of their reaction. In this blessed month, the hearts of the Believers are softened and are more willing to listen. Thus it is an opportunity for us all to try to increase our deeds in this area.

A story which really showed the impact of a sincere naseehah from one brother to another in this blessed month is that related by our Shaykh Muhammad al-Arefe, an outstanding da’eeyah, mainly active in the Arab and Muslim world. I thought to share this beautiful story with you. (If you are interested and understand Arabic, you can listen to the entire lecture where he shared this story titled “Enni Sa’em” ["I am Fasting"] here). (more…)

You missed a spot!” The young girl said, pointing a finger at the window that her older sister was cleaning. Her sister did not look pleased. And why should she? Her hard work was being criticized by her idle sister.

Too many times we criticize our brethren, both in blood and in Islam, when we ourselves do not look at our own faults. How many times have we slandered our brothers, backbitten them, been harsh to them, and even boycotted them for something we could have easily done ourselves? And all this is usually done before any real attempt at naseehah is made.

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Allah Ta’ala has said:

“Most certainly, you (O Muhammad!) have been created on a great character.”

Below is a list of praiseworthy chracteristics and attributes that all Muslims should try to adopt:

1. To believe oneself to be the most inferior. Its’ opposite is takabbur (pride).

2. Kindness to creation and to tolerate the difficulties and inconveniences they cause one.

3. Tenderness and cheerfulness and to abandon anger.

4. Sympathy for others and to give preference to them. This implies priority to the rights of others over one’s pleasures.

5. To be generous.

6. To overlook the wrongs of others and to forgive them.

7. To abstain from pretence.

8. To spend in moderation, without being miserly or wasteful.

9. To have trust in Allah.

10. To be contented with little worldly possessions.

11. To adopt piety.

12. To refrain from arguing, quarreling and being wrathful except for the truth.

13. To abstain from malice and envy.

14. To abstain from the desire of respect and fame.

15. To fulfill promises.

16. To be tolerant, far-sighted and supportive of brothers.

17. Gratitude to the benefactor.

18. To sacrifice reputation for the sake of Muslims.